Enel let out a low growl, his entire body beginning to crackle and hiss. The metal rod in his hand glowed with surging currents that danced visibly along the surface.
"Dragon's Hum! Heaven Shaker!"
The moment the words left his lips, Luffy felt a dark blur flash toward him. The speed was so immense that Luffy could barely perceive where Enel's physical body actually was.
Doesn't matter where he is, as long as I send him flying!
With that single-minded thought, Luffy immediately bit into his thumb and blew, inflating his fist into a massive balloon!
"Spiral Rubber... Sphere!"
Luffy roared with all his might. Rowan shook his head helplessly; this brat put his entire soul into screaming his move names every single time. The battle might be lost, but the shouting match was a guaranteed victory.
Rowan watched as Luffy's body coiled tight like a compressed spring. Then, Luffy released the tension all at once. His entire frame, carrying that titanic fist, spun violently, utilizing the torque of his twisted body.
He looked like a high-speed spinning top being whipped by an invisible hand.
Luffy's form became a total blur. Two shadows vanished simultaneously—at least to the average eye. However, the elite observers on the stands saw every detail.
Rowan, Sengoku, and the other officers of Vice Admiral rank and above, all possessing Observation Haki, could see the metal rod and the rubber fist clashing repeatedly in a storm of sparks and thunder.
Clang! Bang! Boom!
The sounds of the exchange were incessant. Both combatants were locked in a stalemate of speed and power. The question was: who could endure longer?
Soon, however, Luffy's speed began to flag. His coiled body had reached the limit of its unraveling; without further momentum to sustain the rapid rotation, his fist slowed down. Unable to keep pace with Enel's relentless strikes, several fresh gashes appeared on Luffy's rubbery knuckles!
"Is the outcome decided?"
Sengoku muttered to himself, his eyes narrowed as he focused on the center of the ring. He cast a searching glance toward Rowan. Both youths possessed power that shouldn't be underestimated, and it was hard to tell how much they were holding back. Likely, only Rowan knew the full truth.
Rowan, however, never took his eyes off the fight. He seemed content to observe the shifting tides without revealing a word.
A look of triumph appeared on Enel's face. Seeing Luffy slow down, his aura grew even more overbearing, and the speed of his rod increased.
"Rubber... Top... Impact!"
Luffy suddenly unleashed a hidden burst of energy! Just as his fist seemed about to stop, it erupted with an immeasurable explosive force!
By the time Enel realized something was wrong, it was too late. The massive fist collided heavily with his face once again!
THOOM!
Enel's body felt weightless as he was launched by the titanic impact! The strike sent him hurtling out of the training grounds, soaring high into the sky!
He was waiting for that!
The high-speed spinning had been a feint; the true killing blow was saved for the moment everyone thought the move was over! The crowd was stunned—no one expected this "idiot" kid to hide such a calculated psychological trap within his chaotic fighting style.
"Quick! Follow him! What are you standing there for?! Don't let him fall into the sea!" Sengoku was the first to snap back to reality, shouting for soldiers to pursue the flying Enel.
An Ability User falling into the ocean would be a death sentence!
"Yes, sir!"
Several non-Ability soldiers immediately sprinted off in the direction Enel had been launched.
"Haha! Great-Grandpa! I sent him flying! Hey, hey! Zoro, did you see that?" Luffy ran over, boasting loudly to Zoro. Zoro pointedly turned his head away.
That level? I could've handled it with one sword.
That was what Zoro thought. If given the chance, he certainly wanted to test his blades against the lightning brat.
"Zoro-brat, don't be in such a hurry. There will be plenty of chances in the future! Enel's lightning body isn't suitable for you to fight just yet," Rowan said, stepping up and patting Zoro's shoulder.
Zoro gave an awkward, stiff smile. Rowan had seen right through him again. Having a master like this meant it was impossible to hide a single thought.
"Banquet! Banquet! Great-Grandpa, I beat that weird guy! You're gonna throw a banquet for me, right?!" Luffy shouted, trailing after Rowan.
Sengoku, standing nearby, stiffened slightly. Win a fight and throw a banquet... That was a pirate's way of doing things. He had heard of a troublesome red-haired brat on the sea who would throw a banquet for literally any reason...
"Be quiet. Mention a banquet again and I'll forbid you from eating dinner," Rowan said, instantly crushing Luffy's hopes.
Luffy slumped like a withered eggplant. Being forbidden from eating was, to him, a fate worse than death.
"Hehe." Gion clung to Rowan's arm, watching the deflated Luffy with a giggle. "Lord Rowan, your great-grandson really is a riot."
A riot, perhaps, but that pirate-like obsession with banquets was the underlying point of her comment. However, with Lord Rowan there, Luffy wouldn't dare stray too far into "pirate" territory.
After returning, Rowan left Luffy at the cafeteria, ignoring the grieving looks of the many chefs as he departed.
"Lord Rowan, the Florian Triangle issue is settled. However, regarding the involvement of another Shichibukai, Gekko Moria, the Government's stance is... they won't go public with it," Sengoku said, looking at the message from the Five Elders.
Rowan's eyes narrowed, and a dangerous aura emanated from his body.
Sengoku felt it immediately. He knew Rowan had always been dissatisfied with the existence of the Warlords—hence the execution of two of them. This time, Rowan had sent two "brats" to deal with Moria; even though they hadn't killed him, Rowan clearly hadn't set aside his prejudice against the system.
"Gekko Moria..." Rowan spoke. "The man was brought back? Has he been sent to Impel Down?"
"Yes, Lord Rowan. You knew he was the one behind the Florian Triangle before you even sent Zoro and Luffy, didn't you? You deliberately sent two people without official Marine status while having Rear Admiral Kameji provide support to claim the credit. It kept the 'peace' between the Navy and the Shichibukai system. Truly, you considered every angle."
Sengoku shared his analysis, offering Rowan a look of gratitude. If the Navy had officially "exterminated" another Warlord, it would have pushed the delicate relationship with the Government to a breaking point.